Shabbat Shalom ~ Shemot 2025

Dear WJC Family,

With the announcement of a likely Ceasefire Agreement between Israel and Hamas, many of us are on the edge of our seats praying that at least some of the hostages held in Gaza will be coming home soon. The closer the potential date of return comes the more excited, and anxious, we get: Will they, indeed, come home? If indeed 33 hostages are released, who will be among them? What condition will they be in? What of the other 65 hostages still held until the still unnegotiated phases 2 and 3 of the ceasefire deal come to fruition? How long will that take? How do we experience joy when knowing so many others have already been lost? What may be the long term cost of trading Palestinian convicted prisoners for Israeli and international hostages at a 50-1 ratio?

Amid these questions (and others that this situation inspires) and the difficult emotions that come with them, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the umbrella organization of Conservative synagogues, released a statement that I think captures a lot of the gravity and conflicting emotions. You can read it by clicking here. Of course, if there is anyone who would like to process all of this together, please reach out anytime.

 

With the difficult emotions we may be experiencing these days, and in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday celebration, I’d like to say a word about compassion. Moses had many great attributes that contributed to his effective leadership. In this week’s parsha, Shemot, we read about one that often gets overlooked, compassion.

In a sequence of events in chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Exodus, Moses demonstrates exceptional compassion. First, he defends a Hebrew slave being beaten by an Egyptian. Yes, he ultimately kills the Egyptian, but it is in order to save the life of the slave. Moses acts for justice on behalf of the weaker before the stronger, but he does so out of compassion as well as a sense of fairness.

You might think that Moses only acts in this case because he shares kinship with the slave. However, in the next episode Moses defends a group of Midianite women being harassed by some shepherds near a well. In defending these non-Jewish women, one of whom would become his wife, he seems to recognize the humanity in everyone.

Finally, just before God reveals Godself to Moses at the burning bush we are reminded that he is a shepherd. Many are the midrashim that explain how compassionate Moses was to his flock – giving them water before he would drink, going personally after any animal that wandered off, carrying a goat that was struggling to keep up. Moses’ compassion, as well as his sense of justice for all, seem to know no bounds.

Finding this balance of justice and compassion is one of the marks of a great leader. It was one of the many attributes that made Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a generational leader for his people and all people, not unlike Moses. The world could use a lot more of this sense of compassion and sense of justice today, may it come swiftly for the sake of everyone.

This Shabbat I will be out of town for a wedding, but I hope you will join Rabbi Dalton and Cantor Goldberg for a special Friday night with both the regular Friday night service and a dinner with Rhythm & Ruach. Then, Saturday will be a beautiful Shabat together in the morning and the evening.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom,

RJA

 

 

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